Unity in Christ: The True Life of the Church
Summary
In Ephesians 4:15-16, Paul emphasizes the importance of unity within the church, likening it to the relationship between the body and its head, Christ. This unity is not merely organizational or mechanical but is deeply spiritual and rooted in the truth of the gospel. The church must strive to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, understanding that true unity is a result of shared belief in the core doctrines of Christianity. This includes the deity of Christ, His atoning death, and His resurrection. Without these foundational truths, any attempt at unity is superficial and ultimately futile.
The church today faces a crisis of identity and purpose, often mistaking activity for life. True life in the church comes from a vital connection to Christ, the head. Without this connection, the church is like a body without life, merely preserving its form without true vitality. The focus should not be on numbers or external appearances but on the purity of doctrine and the life-giving power of Christ flowing through the church.
The call of the New Testament is not primarily to do but to be. The church must be usable in the hands of Christ, allowing Him to act through it. This requires a deep dependence on Him, recognizing that apart from Him, we can do nothing. The history of the church shows that true revival comes not from human efforts but from a return to the fundamentals of faith and a reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Key Takeaways:
- Unity in the church is essential but must be based on true belief in the core doctrines of Christianity. Without agreement on these truths, any attempt at unity is superficial and ultimately futile. [12:30]
- The church must distinguish between activity and life. True life comes from a vital connection to Christ, the head, and not from mere organizational activity. [20:43]
- The church's focus should not be on numbers or external appearances but on the purity of doctrine and the life-giving power of Christ. This requires a return to the fundamentals of faith. [27:31]
- Revival in the church comes not from human efforts but from a deep dependence on Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. The church must be usable in His hands, allowing Him to act through it. [38:32]
- The call of the New Testament is not primarily to do but to be. The church must focus on being filled with the life and power of Christ, allowing Him to work through it. [40:37]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Introduction to Ephesians 4:15-16
[01:05] - The Importance of Unity
[02:33] - The Church as the Body of Christ
[03:09] - Relevance of Unity Today
[04:02] - Understanding the Church's Condition
[05:20] - The Principle of Unity
[07:19] - True Nature of Unity
[09:18] - Misconceptions About Unity
[10:11] - Unity as a Result, Not a Goal
[12:30] - True Belief as the Basis for Unity
[18:48] - The Source of Life in the Church
[27:31] - The Doctrine of the Remnant
[38:32] - Revival vs. Evangelistic Campaigns
[40:37] - The Call to Be Usable
[42:11] - Conclusion and Prayer for Revival
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 4:15-16
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Observation Questions:
1. What analogy does Paul use in Ephesians 4:15-16 to describe the relationship between Christ and the church? How does this analogy help us understand the concept of unity within the church? [00:11]
2. According to the sermon, what is the difference between organizational unity and spiritual unity in the church? [08:02]
3. What are the core doctrines mentioned in the sermon that are essential for true unity in the church? [14:32]
4. How does the sermon describe the difference between activity and life within the church? [20:43]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the analogy of the body and the head in Ephesians 4:15-16 illustrate the importance of a vital connection to Christ for the church's life and unity? [02:33]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the church today might be mistaking activity for true spiritual life? How can this misunderstanding affect the church's mission and purpose? [20:43]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of returning to the fundamentals of faith for true revival. What might this look like in a modern church context? [38:32]
4. How does the sermon differentiate between human efforts and the power of the Holy Spirit in achieving revival within the church? [38:32]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal connection to Christ. How can you strengthen this connection to ensure you are contributing to the life and unity of the church? [19:55]
2. Consider the activities you are involved in within the church. Are they contributing to true spiritual life, or are they merely organizational? How can you align your involvement with the life-giving power of Christ? [20:43]
3. The sermon calls for a return to the fundamentals of faith. Identify one core doctrine you feel less confident about and plan a way to deepen your understanding of it this month. [38:32]
4. How can you personally contribute to the unity of the church based on true belief in the core doctrines of Christianity? What steps can you take to foster this unity in your community? [12:30]
5. Reflect on a time when you relied on your own efforts rather than the power of the Holy Spirit. How can you shift your focus to depend more on Christ in your daily life and church involvement? [38:32]
6. The sermon suggests that revival comes from a deep dependence on Christ. What practical steps can you take to cultivate this dependence in your personal spiritual journey? [38:32]
7. Think about a specific area in your church where you see a need for revival. How can you pray and act towards bringing life and unity to that area? [41:23]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional.
Quotes
The Apostle makes that perfectly clear in one Corinthians 12 and in other places, our Lord's Prayer was that there might be one. Very well, there we needn't stay with this. The thing is so perfectly obvious, but I say it should be extremely obvious to all of us who have ever considered this doctrine of the church in terms of this analogy of the body. [00:06:21]
Unity if this illustration of Pauls is right is never a matter of addition, adding this to that and that to another. That's already wrong. We've approached it the wrong way around, and all our thinking must inevitably lead to disaster. Or let me put that in a different form. According to this analogy, we must never think of unity merely in terms of the removal of divisions. [00:08:48]
Unity must never be the first thing. Unity is not something in and of itself. The unity of the church is always the result of something else. So you don't start with unity. You start with the nature of the church and then see that the unity is inevitable. You don't put up Unity as an end in and of itself. [00:10:11]
The First Essential is this is true belief in him. He is reminded us of it in verses four, five, and six: one body, one Spirit, even as you called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, One Faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all. [00:12:30]
The church today puts unity in chapter one. It starts with it as if it's everything, and men are preaching unity and not preaching Christ, preaching the church and not preaching salvation. All the talk is about unity, and men and women are not saved, and the church is not being built up. That's because they don't realize that Unity comes out of something else. [00:13:04]
The life of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ, and that without him there is no life in the church, and the church is dead. You notice how he made that perfectly plain himself in that great statement which we read out of John's gospel chapter 15. The Life is In The Vine, and it goes into the branches. [00:19:52]
The church has confused between activity and life, and there's all the difference in the world between activity and life. It's the difference between what a machine does and what a man does. It's the difference between a machine and a plant or a flower. That's the difference. [00:20:43]
The doctrine of the remnant God using individuals. We've forgotten that and read the history of the church since the end of the New Testament Canon, and what again do you find? Well, you see, you find exactly the same thing. Athanasius cont mundum, that one man standing against the whole world for Vital Doctrine, and he prevailed. [00:26:35]
The call of the New Testament to us primarily is not to do anything but to be something. One thing that is necessary is that you and I should be usable. It is you and I who are hindrances to his working. We are not usable as we ought to be. [00:38:32]
They first of all had an intense struggle. What was the struggle? Well, the struggle was with themselves and with their own abilities and powers, and the point came when they were crushed to their knees and realized their importance, then submitted themselves utterly and absolutely to him and were filled with the power of His Holy Spirit. [00:39:36]
Pray for Revival in this country so that we shall bring an end to the scandal of the present time, which is this: that friends coming here from the colonies would always thought of this country as a Christian country are appalled when they come to London and are almost tempted to give up the Christian faith believing that it isn't true. [00:41:29]
Pray that the whole church may vitally be connected with him, the head, that his life and his power may come into us and upon us and may work through us, and the church may be revived, and the Sinners outside may be converted. He is the head. He says I am the vine, you are the branches. [00:42:11]
Chatbot
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